Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Bars

These carrot cake baked oatmeal bars are made simple and delicious using wholesome ingredients like rolled oats and grated carrots with a delicious cream cheese maple frosting for a sweet treat you can eat for breakfast or dessert!

Honestly, sometimes I’m at a loss for what to say in these blog posts. While I know some of you read, the majority of you don’t and I’d rather you make the recipe than worry about my verbal nonsense. Usually I have a quick little anecdote or story for what inspired the recipe but today I’m at a loss. C requested something carrot cake themed (his favorite dessert!) and I had just finished making a few updates to an old recipe of mine – these Chocolate Chip Zucchini Oatmeal Bars. I was inspired to make a carrot cake baked oatmeal version using the ingredients I had in the house.

The final product turned out fantastic and after making a few tweaks while recipe developing the final recipe for these carrot cake baked oatmeal bars turned out pretty similar to the original, and while I hate to admit it, I think they’re even better than the zucchini version! And since May is C’d birthday month (and we have approximately ZERO other plans) it looks like this won’t be the only time I’m making carrot cake. I doubt baked oatmeal is good enough for celebrating a 30th birthday, but this version comes pretty damn close.

What You Need for This Recipe:

• Oat flour (ground up rolled oats – you can also use regular flour)
• Rolled oats
• Baking powder
• Coconut sugar
• Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, clove + salt
• Large egg
• Banana
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Almond milk
• Coconut oil
• Carrot
• Raisins
• Walnuts

Cream Cheese Maple Frosting

This cream cheese maple frosting requires just 2 ingredients!

• 1/3 cup Cream Cheese
• 2 tbsp Maple syrup

Just whisk together until super creamy and then spread on the carrot cake oatmeal bars as soon as they’ve cooled. This cream cheese maple frosting is seriously addicting. If you’re vegan, feel free to substitute a vegan cream cheese (my favorite is Kite Hill).

How to Store These Bars

These bars will last up to 5 days in the fridge. I store mine in a glass tupperware container in a single layer to prevent the cream cheese frosting from spreading. The frosting will harden slightly in the fridge so if you want them creamier just take them out 10 minutes before eating.

You can also freeze these carrot cake oatmeal bars. Simply make the bars and cut them then place them in an airtight bag or container to freeze. When you’re ready to eat you can make the cream cheese maple frosting. DO NOT freeze with the frosting on them!

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Bars

These carrot cake baked oatmeal bars are made simple and delicious using wholesome ingredients like rolled oats and grated carrots with a delicious cream cheese maple frosting for a sweet treat you can eat for breakfast or dessert!

• Author: Davida Lederle
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 9 bars 1x
• Category: dessert

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 cup oat flour (or ground up rolled oats, gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten free, if necessary)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (brown sugar will work too)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 large banana, ripe and mashed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup of almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup grated carrot, packed (roughly 1 large carrot)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 1/3 cup cream cheese
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with coconut oil.
3. In a large bowl combine oat flour, rolled oats, baking powder, coconut sugar and spices.
4. In a separate bowl combine egg, banana, applesauce, almond milk and coconut oil.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir to combine.
6. Stir in grated carrot, raisins and nuts.
7. Add batter to pan and place in oven to bake for 20-25 minutes (or until edges are slightly browned).
8. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes.
9. Meanwhile whisk together cream cheese and maple syrup for frosting
10. Spread frosting over top of bars and then cut into 9 bars (or more if preferred).
11. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Like these baked oatmeal bars? Here are a few others you might enjoy: